Driving tool



United States Patent 3,388,753 DRIVING TOOL Allen E. Bardwell, EastBrunswick, NJZ, assignor to Trident Industries, Inc, Princeton, N.J., acorporation of Delaware Filed June 16, 1965, Ser. No. 464,499 8 Claims.((31. 173-139) ABSTRACT 015 THE DISCLOSURE A gravity drop driving toolconstructed to increase the effectiveness thereof with less damage peroperating cycle thereto and to driven items comprising an elongatedcasing, a heavy elongated bar member mounted in said casing for limitedreciprocative movement, cushioning means at each end of said barlimiting movement, but having appreciable compression, a lifting memberat one end of the casing, and tool holder at the other end of thecasing.

The present invention relates generally to gravity drop tools orstructures for driving piles or casings, for drilling, or for likefunctions, and more particularly to a novel gravity drop tool fordriving piles or casing, for drilling, or for like functions which, whenused for driving piles or casings accomplishes greater driving effectand less damage per operating cycle than conventional or other gravitydrop driving tools.

For many years, various types of pilings and casings have been driveninto the ground as supports for buildings as protection against the sea,flood water, etc., for casing off or sealing water wells, etc., and forother purposes. Equipment has been developed for handling gravity droptools for driving the piling or casings downward but little advancementhas been made in the driving tools per se, although the need for faster,better driving has been great for many years.

Hence, an object of the present invention is to provide a gravity dropdriving tool which fulfills the long existing need stated above.

In brief, an exemplification of the present novel gravity drop drivingtool includes an elongated casing in which is enclosed a heavy elongatedbar or hammer. At each end of the hammer is a disk of yieldable Teflonor similar material. Closing one end of the casing is a tool receivingbox or member. Closing the other end of the casing is a rope socketattachment member.

Therefore, another object of the present invention is to provide a novelgravity drop driving tool which will in crease the rate of penetrationof the driven element or unit, or the bit when used in drilling.

Other objects are to provide a novel gravity drop driving tool whichachieves increased penetration of the driven tool per cycle of operationwithout damage to or appreciable increased strain on the driven elementor unit, which is economical and relatively inexpensive, which has wideadaptation of use, which requires no special handling equipment, whichis durable and requires minimum maintenance, which can be employed withminimum instruction to operating personnel, and which otherwise fulfillsthe objects and advantages sought therefor.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are apparent from thefollowing description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES 1 and 2 comprise a longitudinal, diametric cross-sectional viewthrough a driving tool illustrated as formed of metal incorporating theprinciples of the present invention, FIGURE 1 including the upperportion thereof and FIGURE 2 the lower portion, portions of elements orunits in both figures being in elevation;

Patented June 18, 1968 ice FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of thepresent tool being employed to drive a casing using a drive clamp and adrive head;

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of a drive clamp; and

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of a drive head.

Refer-ing to the drawings more particularly by reference numerals, 10indicates generally a gravity drop driving tool constructed inaccordance with the teachings of the present invention. The tool 10includes a casing 12 within which is a bar 14 illustrated as elongatedand solid. Also within the casing 12 and adjacent the ends of the bar 14are cushioning members 16 and 18 of Teflon or other suitable materialagainst which the bar 14 alternately strikes or compresses, actually orin effect.

Extending into the lower end of the casing 12 is a support 20 which maybe shrunk and welded or otherwise secured in position with the inner endagainst the member 16. The support 20 receives any selected tool, suchas a striker, hammer, or drill bit (not shown), as by the threaded well22.

Extending into the upper end of the casing 12 is a cable or rope socketmember 24 which may be shrunk and welded or otherwise secured inposition with the inner end against the member 18. A cable or rope maybe secured to the threaded end 26 of the member 24.

The present tool 10 has many uses. For example, the tool 10 with anattached striker or hammer may be gravity dropped onto a pile or ontoother members or units being driven into the ground or other place. Asthe striker contacts a pile, for example, and the striker and the pilemove downwardly an increment, the bar 14 moves sharply downwardlyagainst the member 16 compressing the same. The member 16 sustainscompression of the bar 14 for a greater length of time creating agreatly increased driving period of the support 20 on the object beingdriven, thereby increasing the driving elfect of the striker andincreasing the pile penetration of the ground per operating cycle. Themember 18 cushions the bar 14 as it bounces upward after compressing themember 16.

Another use is illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing. A drive clamp 30is fastened onto the shank of the member 24 in the usual manner, a drivehead 32 is secured to the upper edge of a casing 34 in the well-knownfashion, the lower end of tool 10 is lowered into the casing 34, andgravity drop driving ensues. As above described, the sustainedcompression of the bar 14 effectively continues the driving force ofcontact of the drive clamp 30 with the drive head 32. The sharp reboundof the drive clamp 30 is in effect snubbed as the casing is driven agreater distance into the ground than can be accomplished with a simplebar. Once the casing is moving, it, of course, acquires less force tocontinue its motion than to restart it.

Another use of the tool 10 is in drilling in which the penetration percycle is increased.

It is apparent that there has been provided a tool which fulfills theobjects and advantages set forth and sought.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example.It is also to be understood that changes in form of the elements,rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, whichwill be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as withinthe scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claimswhich follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a gravity drop multi-use tool comprising a casing, aheavy bar member mounted in said casing for reciprocative movement,cushioning material adjacent each end of said bar member incorporatingcharacteristics permitting predetermined movement of said bar memberfollowing a striking blow, after drop of said tool providing a secondblow, means maintaining said cushioning material in predeterminedpositions for engagement by said bar member, and a member operativelymounted at one end of said casing for transmitting a driving force fromsaid bar member to a struck object.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said member is adapted to strikea pile and the like a first blow and then to transmit the force of saidbar members blow over a greater period of time.

3. In combination, a driving tool for driving piling and the like,comprising a heavy member, a support for said heavy member, said memberhaving limited reciprocative movement in respect to said support, astriking means mounted on said support, said heavy member having limitedreciprocative movement in respect to said striking means and beingmounted to strike a blow immediately following a blow by said strikingmeans.

4. The combination of claim 3 including buffers engageable by said heavymember, said buffers limiting the reciprocative movement of said heavymember and efiecting a snubbing action on the blow of said heavy member.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said buffers are maintained infixed positions and are of resilient material.

6. The combination of claim 3 in which said striking means is a driveclamp element.

7. The combination of claim 4 in which at least one of said buffermembers engages said bar member substantially at all times.

8. In combination, a gravity drop multi-use tool comprising a casing, aheavy bar member mounted in said casing for reciprocative movement forstriking a driving blow immediately after a gravity drop blow of saidtool, cushioning material adjacent each end of said bar member limitingreciprocation thereof and snubbing said heavy members blow to effect adwelling action, and means maintaining said cushioning material inpredetermined positions for engagement by said bar member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,319,724 5/1967 Cunningham 173-l19 1,006,661 10/1911 Knapp 173--l31 3,245,482. 4/ 1966 Williams et al.173-126 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

NILE C. BYERS, FRED C. MATTERN, MILTON KAUFMAN, L. P. KESSLER,Examiners.

